2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Santee, CA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Santee.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2024 and beyond)
- Ways to optimize your solar investment
Solar installers are experts in maximizing your solar tax credits and rebates.
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Santee?
Property Tax Exclusion for Solar Energy Systems and Solar Plus Storage System
Western Riverside Council of Governments - Home Energy Renovation Opportunity (HERO) Financing Program
Minimum financing: $5,000
The financing may not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the market value of the property, up to the first seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) of the property’s market value, and ten percent (10%) of the remaining value of the Property above seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) minus any PACE assessment on the propertyThe total amount of any annual property taxes and assessments shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the property's fair market value, determined at the time program financing is approved.
Local Option - Municipal Energy Districts
Self-Generation Incentive Program
Incentives will step down over time. See below for incentive amounts.
Renewable Market Adjusting Tariff (ReMAT)
LADWP - Feed-in Tariff (FiT) Program
Base price will step down over time as certain MW goals are met
California Solar Initiative - Solar Thermal Program
Single Family Residential Incentives:
Systems that displace natural gas: $29.85 per estimated therm displaced
Systems that displace electricity or propane: Funding has been exhausted
Commercial/Multifamily Incentives:
Systems that displace natural gas: $20.19 per estimated therm displaced
Systems that displace electricity or propane: $0.42 per estimated kWh displaced *** Note, funding has been exhausted in this category for SCE and PG&E
Solar Pool heating: $5.00 per estimated therm displaced
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are designed to encourage homeowners to make the switch to renewable energy by offering incentives meant to lower the financial burden of solar panel installation and use. Various types of incentives, including discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits, may be available to you. Certain incentives may be provided via the state of California, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panels could qualify for exemptions on both sales and property tax. Sales tax exemptions are effective at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you exclude the added value of the solar panels when you are calculating property taxes on your home.
- Net Metering: Net metering is an incentive you can get once your solar system is up and running. If you have a net metering agreement in place with your Santee utility company, they will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your utility bill each month. In some areas, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in other areas you may make back a percentage of the value.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs are credits that can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for money that normally counts as part of your taxable income. In most cases, a certain (small) threshold of energy production must be met before your solar system can earn SRECs or other performance-based incentives. These kinds of incentives are typically handled by your state government.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government. (A tax credit is different from a tax deduction.)
- Rebates: Rebates, or partial refunds after a purchase, are normally given prior to any solar tax credits being calculated. Rebates might be provided by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
Best National Provider
SunPower
- Most efficient panels on the market
- National coverage
- Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
- Great warranty coverage
- Expensive
- Customer service varies by local dealer
Best Regional Coverage
Momentum Solar
- Great warranty coverage
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- Concierge service ensures steady communication
- Slightly limited service offerings
Best for Leasing
Sunrun
- Expansive service area
- Many financing options
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Some reported issues with door-to-door sales
Federal Solar Incentives
When you think about solar incentives, you likely think of federal incentives first. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, is likely the most commonly known federal solar incentive. The ITC provides you with a tax credit for a specific percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC applies to the value of a solar system installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar panels must have been installed after January 1, 2006, on a property owned by you for you to claim the credit. Originally, the ITC covered 30% of all system installation costs (panels, equipment, accessories and labor), although the covered amount has fluctuated over the years between 26-30%. The installation date of your solar system will determine what percentage you are eligible for. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
Have questions about how the ITC applies to your specific situation? Get in touch with your local Santee solar panel installer to get more information.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act expanded and extended the ITC, now referred to as the Clean Energy Credit. The Clean Energy Credit re-raises the credit up to 30% for solar installation projects started after January 1, 2022, and completed by the end of 2032. At this point, the credit percentage will decrease slightly each year until the program expires in 2035. Beginning in 2023, it will also be easier to get credits for energy storage systems under the new laws.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. Your local Santee solar panel company is the best resource for answering your questions about the new Clean Energy Credit and how it will apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also provided at the state and local level. Similar to federal incentives, these could include tax credits, rebates and more. Incentives might be given by your county or municipality, or by the state of California. Certain incentives are available for only a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Santee
Nationwide solar energy use has increased enormously in the last 15 years, in part due to the increase in availability of solar incentives. You may get these incentives from your local utility company, the federal government or the California government. Getting in touch with your local Santee solar panel installation company is a great first step towards getting all the incentives you qualify for when you switch to solar energy.
EcoWatch's Santee, CA Solar Incentives FAQs
What are the best solar panel installation companies near me?
To find the top solar panel installers near you, read our article on the top solar companies in Santee.
What are some environmental benefits of installing solar panels on my house?
Solar energy is renewable — by switching where you get your energy, you help reduce the strain on our planet's resources. Solar panels can also reduce your home's CO2 emissions by 250 pounds a year, or roughly 5,000 pounds in 20 years.
I want to change out my appliances for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any credits I can apply for?
The new Inflation Reduction Act creates a variety of new financial incentives for making eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details regarding these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I claim incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order your incentives will be applied in may vary depending on which incentives you receive but usually yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Check with your solar installer or a local tax professional to confirm you are claiming all possible incentives and applying them in the correct order.
Can I receive any incentives when I add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property?
Many solar incentives are intended to apply to a property you own that is located within the United States; most secondary residences fall into this category. There may be other solar incentives available for commercial properties, depending on the specifics. We recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what incentives may apply to your specific situation.
Our goal is to reach as many people as we can with sensible solutions like solar energy. Our team of full-time local researchers collects solar price and installation data for every city in America then compiles it to create these digestible city guides. If you want to read our solar expert's opinion on the top solar companies featured here, follow this link.
Solar incentive research was conducted by Melissa Smith and Karsten Neumeister. Local data analysis was conducted by James Savino. See something we missed or could do better? Email the editor.